Northfield Referendum Asks Voters To Simplify Election Rules

NORTHFIELD, IL — Voters in Northfield will decide whether to approve a plan to simplify the village's system for electing trustees and a president. The binding initiative aims to make filing for an election less difficult by eliminating primaries and reducing the number of signatures required to run for local office, according to a letter to residents from Village President Joan Frazier.

Home Rule communities like Northfield are allowed to come up with specifically tailored local election regulations, according to the village. But in order to do so, voters need to approve the new system. The village board unanimously approved a plan recommended by the Northfield Caucus to put the binding referendum on the March 20 primary ballot.

If the initiative is approved, the required number of signatures to be eligible to run would always be 50 and there would no longer be a need for a primary election.

The changes would only apply to those running for village trustee or village president, not library, school or park boards.

Here's the question voters in Northfield will be asked:

"Should the Village of Northfield continue its non-partisan system of electing its President and Trustees, but amend the system so that no primary election would be required and the number of signatures required for ballot eligibility would be set at 50?"

The village said the change will not make it harder for candidates who aren't slated by the village caucus.

Current eligibility rules in Illinois law are confusing, with one section saying candidates need to present signatures from 1 percent of voters in the last mayoral election, another saying half of 1 percent of all registered voters much sign and another requiring signatures from 5 to 8 percent of voters in the previous mayoral election, according to the village.

Frazier said similar systems have been set up in other towns, where they appear to have made the process more open and accessible.

Northfield has never had enough candidates for a primary, although the State Board of Elections has recently suggested it should "contemplate" holding a primary election and follow its filing schedule, according to the village.

» Read answers to frequently asked questions about the referendum from the Village of Northfield